Best of E3 2010: The Nominees

Our picks for best of show, winners to be announced next week.

By
Feature Staff
(Jun 19, 2010)

Over three days, nearly a dozen GamingExcellence reporters descended on E3 and scoured the show floor looking for the best of the best. After late nights and long debates, the GamingExcellence crew has nailed down our Best of E3 Nominees, and will announce the winners next week.

Over three days we saw hundreds upon hundreds of games, and these nominees represent the top echelon of what we saw. Without further ado, the nominees!
Biggest Surprise

Mortal Kombat Returns (WB Games / NetherRealm Studios)

Microsoft's Disappointing Cirque de Soleil Event (Microsoft)

Nintendo's 3DS and Huge Game Lineup (Nintendo)

Sony's 3D Offerings (SCEA)

Twisted Metal Returns (SCEA / Eat Sleep Play)

Best Graphics - Artistic

Dust: An Elysian Tail (HumbleHearts)

Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive / JunctionPoint Studios)

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo)

Limbo (PlayDead)

Puzzle Agent (Telltale Games)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)

Trine 2 (Atlus USA / Frozenbtye)

Best Graphics - Technical

Crysis 2 (Electronic Arts / Crytek)

Dead Space 2 (Electronic Arts / Visceral Games)

Gran Turismo 5 (SCEA / Polyphony Digital)

Killzone 3 (SCEA / Guerrilla Games)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Electronic Arts / Criterion Games)

Vanquish (SEGA / PlatinumGames)

Best Innovation

Dance Central (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo)

Portal 2 (Valve)

Rock Band 3 (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Technical Achievement

Kinect (Microsoft)

LittleBigPlanet 2 (SCEA / Media Molecule)

Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo)

Best Downloadable Game

DeathSpank (HotHead Games)

Hard Corps Uprising (Konami / ARC System Works)

Limbo (PlayDead)

Puzzle Agent (Telltale Games)

Rock of Ages (Atlus USA / ACE Team)

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (SEGA / Sonic Team)

Best Action Adventure Game

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Konami / Kojima Productions)

Dead Space 2 (Electronic Arts / Visceral Games)

Mafia II (2K Games / 2K Czech)

Metroid: Other M (Nintendo)

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (THQ / Relic)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo)

Best Fighting Game

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Capcom)

Mortal Kombat (WB Games / NetherRealm Studios)

WWE All Stars (THQ / THQ San Diego)

Best MMO

DC Universe Online (Sony Online Entertainment)

End of Nations (Trion Worlds)

Star Wars: The Old Republic (LucasArts / Bioware)

Vindictus (Nexon)

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online (THQ / Vigil Games)

Best Music Game

Dance Central (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Patapon 3 (SCEA)

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString (Seven45 Studios / Music Maker)

Rock Band 3 (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Best Platformer

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Nintendo)

Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive / JunctionPoint Studios)

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo)

LittleBigPlanet 2 (SCEA / Media Molecule)

Sonic Colors (SEGA / Sonic Team)

Best Puzzle Game

Portal 2 (Valve)

Puzzle Agent (Telltale Games)

Super Scribblenauts (WB Games / 5th Cell)

Best Racing / Driving Game

Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft)

F1 2010 (Codemasters)

Gran Turismo 5 (SCEA / Polyphony Digital)

Motorstorm: Apocalypse (SCEA / Evolution Studios)

Nail'd (SouthPeak Interactive / Techland)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Electronic Arts / Criterion Games)

Twisted Metal (SCEA / Eat Sleep Play)

Best Role-Playing Game

DeathSpank (HotHead Games)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix / Eidos Montreal)

Fallout: New Vegas (Bethesda Softworks / Obsidian)

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (Nintendo / Camelot)

Hunted: The Demon's Forge (Bethesda Softworks / InXile)

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Atari / CD Projekt Red)

Two Worlds II (SouthPeak / Reality Pump)

Best Shooter

Bulletstorm (Electronic Arts / Epic Games)

Gears of War 3 (Microsoft Game Studios / Epic Games)

Homefront (THQ / Kaos Studios)

Killzone 3 (SCEA / Guerrilla Games)

Rage (Bethesda Softworks / id Software)

Red Faction: Armageddon (THQ / Volition)

Spec Ops: The Line (2K Games / Yager)

Vanquish (SEGA / PlatinumGames)

Best Sports Game

EA Sports MMA (EA Sports / EA Tiburon)

Madden NFL 11 (EA Sports / EA Tiburon)

Mario Sports Mix (Nintendo / Square Enix)

NBA Jam (EA Sports / EA Canada)

NHL 11 (EA Sports)

Best Strategy Game

Civilization V (2K Games / Firaxis)

End of Nations (Trion Worlds)

Patapon 3 (SCEA)

Patrician IV (Kalypso / Gaming Minds)

Shogun 2: Total War (SEGA / Creative Assembly)

Valkyria Chronicles 2 (SEGA)

Best PC Exclusive

Civilization V (2K Games / Firaxis)

End of Nations (Trion Worlds)

Shogun 2: Total War (SEGA / Creative Assembly)

Star Wars: The Old Republic (LucasArts / Bioware)

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Atari / CD Projekt Red)

Best Xbox 360 Exclusive

Dance Central (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Gears of War 3 (Microsoft Game Studios / Epic Games)

Halo: Reach (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)

Limbo (PlayDead)

Best PS3 Exclusive

Gran Turismo 5 (SCEA / Polyphony Digital)

Killzone 3 (SCEA / Guerrilla Games)

LittleBigPlanet 2 (SCEA / Media Molecule)

Motorstorm: Apocalypse (SCEA / Evolution Studios)

Twisted Metal (SCEA / Eat Sleep Play)

Best Wii Exclusive

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Nintendo)

Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive / JunctionPoint Studios)

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo)

Metroid: Other M (Nintendo / Team Ninja)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo)

Best Multi-Platform Console Game

Bulletstorm (Electronic Arts / Epic Games)

Dead Space 2 (Electronic Arts / Visceral Games)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix / Eidos Montreal)

Homefront (THQ / Kaos Studios)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Electronic Arts / Criterion Games)

Portal 2 (Valve)

Red Faction: Armageddon (THQ / Volition)

Vanquish (SEGA / PlatinumGames)

Best PSP Game

God of War: Ghost of Spartans (SCEA / Ready at Dawn)

Patapon 3 (SCEA)

Valkyria Chronicles 2 (SEGA)

Best DS Game

Dragon Quest IX (Nintendo / Level 5)

Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City (Atlus USA)

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (Nintendo / Camelot)

Kid Icarus Uprising (Nintendo)

Super Scribblenauts (WB Games / 5th Cell)

Game of the Show

Bulletstorm (Electronic Arts / Epic Games)

Civilization V (2K Games / Firaxis)

Dance Central (MTV Games / Harmonix)

Dead Space 2 (Electronic Arts / Visceral Games)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix / Eidos Montreal)

Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive / JunctionPoint Studios)

Gears of War 3 (Microsoft Game Studios / Epic Games)

Homefront (THQ / Kaos Studios)

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Nintendo)

LittleBigPlanet 2 (SCEA / Media Molecule)

Portal 2 (Valve)

Red Faction: Armageddon (THQ / Volition)

Vanquish (SEGA / PlatinumGames)

We'll announce the winners next week. In the meantime, check out our full E3 2010 coverage, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the latest breaking news. Stay tuned!

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